Cumberland Kiwanis
Minutes of November 2, 2009
Speaker: Mary Ann Clark, Chief Nursing Officer,
Cumberland Memorial Hospital
Topic: Dealing with the H1N1 Flu
Early outbreaks led to the fear
of a world-wide pandemic. Vaccine
production was based on earlier flu outbreaks and got started late. As the flu progressed, it became clear
that the younger individuals were more at risk, with 75% of cases with persons
under 59. So far there have been
only three confirmed cases in Barron County, but 72 in Polk.
Transmission is similar to
other types of flu, especially by hand contamination, then contact with nose,
lips, eyes, etc. Can be spread
before one has symptoms. Important
to wash hands and disinfect objects around persons with the flu.
Symptoms include fever,
aches, sore throat, and sometimes diarrhea. Treat with fever reducer, fluids, rest.
Persons with conditions such
as diabetes, heart disease, or pregnancy are at higher risk and should get the
vaccine asap. They should consult
a physician to determine if Tamiflu should be prescribed.
Vaccine production is
starting to catch up, but is still lagging. 16 million doses were produced last week. Of the two forms, the shot is safer than
the nasal injection and should be used with high risk persons.
So far, the rate of flu
occurrence seems to be similar to previous years.
Many questions regarding
precautions, such as school closing, were asked.